


Cheating Death

by Iamsercetlynot



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, CT-7567 | Rex Needs a Hug, Character Death, Clone Trooper Culture (Star Wars), Clone Troopers Speak Mando'a (Star Wars), Clone Troopers as Brothers (Star Wars), Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Family, Gen, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Original Character Death(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:15:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28202958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iamsercetlynot/pseuds/Iamsercetlynot
Summary: Do you know what it is like to feel death breathing down your neck? Rex does... or how many times Rex has escaped death.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 26





	1. Chapter 1

The Kaminoian walked up and down the rows of incubation tanks reaching to the ceiling and monitors. His long lab coat dragged against the cement floor. He stopped periodically between each chair where one of the lab workers was stationed. A grey datapad seemed like an extension of his monochrome appearance. His name was Nun Lo, Head of the Research Department.

Today, the clones had reached the final growing stage in the process. It was his job to check the batches of DNA and determine if they met the standards. Countless scans on Jango Fett's brain and DNA makeup had helped them come up with several different data types for them to go with. Combined with his Mando warrior values and skills and the numerous trainers the Kaminoians had hired, these clones would be the perfect genetic model for a far superior soldier when compared to battle droids.

There were three different types of DNA groups that the Kamionians were pulling from. Experimenting in order to find the most obedient, strongest, creative, talented soldiers. To create command and regular troopers to complement the first batch of a hundred ARC-troopers that Jango Fett trained. Group A was assigned for the command troopers and Group B was assigned to the regular troopers.

"Good morning Nu Sa," He greeted the lab helper. She was new to the operation, recommended from the Kamino Birth lab for her creativity in modifying genotypes. Nun Lo was eager to see her progress.

"Good morning Nun Lo," She responded, her amphibia-like black eyes blinking slowly as it was their way. She pointed at the tube of four in front of her. "This is a batch of command troopers. They have been modeled after Genotype 13-A."

Nun Lo frowned, checking the data on his clipboard with the one on screen. "Their independence levels are too high… even for a command trooper."

"Critical thinking is very high too, all other levels are normal." Nu Sa minimized the screen as more graphs populated. "Loyalty, Independence, and Critical thinking are the only abnormal levels."

"We are not looking to make the same mistakes we made with the Null Troopers. High numbers, even slightly higher than normal, can ruin a clone." Nun Lo looked at her with slight pity. How she could miss such an important step in this process? If her stats for the second batch were not good, she would have to be let go. Not that he cared. There were at least two more Kaminoians waiting to replace her if she failed.

Nu Sa shook her head, her long neck swaying. "Their loyalty stats aren't as high as the Null troopers. In fact, they are lower than normal by ten points."

"Loyalty must be an exact number as you may recall. Too low makes a disloyal trooper. Too high makes a trooper only listen to one master."

"Recondition this batch then?"

"We can only allow a hundred command troopers to enter the growth chambers this month. We need to observe their progress so that we can select the genotype to base the next hundred on." Nun Lo nodded. "Recondition them."

Nu Sa tapped the red button on her deck. The tube blinked and rotated, switching out with another batch of four tubes. "This is a batch of regular troopers. Modeled after genotype 2-B."

Nun Lo allowed a rare smile to pass his lips as she presented the graphs. All the numbers were exact. Perhaps she had found a place here. He'd take her off of the command trooper list and give her two regular trooper batches next month. "Well done, Nu Sa. Send this batch to the growth chamber."

She smiled back at him and clicked a green button. The tube machine whirred and stalled a bit, clinking against the other tube case as it moved up the track.

"It's slow today, give it a moment." She said apologetically.

"Go to lunch. The tubes will sort themselves out." Nun Lo said, moving onto the next station. He had over 300 other batches to approve. He did not have time for slow machines.

What the Kamanions failed to notice was that one of the command trooper tubes had failed to go to the reconditioning lab. It had instead bumped into the regular trooper set. This detached two containers from both sets, who thanks to the slow machines, were picked up by the opposite machine. So the swap was made. The 'defective' command trooper was attached to a set of three 'regular' troopers being sent to the growth accelerator while the regular trooper went to the reconditioner.

That command clone was CT-7567. This is the first time he cheated death.


	2. Chapter 2

CT-7567 stood in front of a scanning station. He was with his squad mates and batch mates. They were all given datapads and set to the wall overlooking the mess hall. The Kaminos wanted them to practice scanning materials in on the regulation issued datapads. They would need to read maps and recognize important documents on missions. CT-7567 was fairly good at it. He liked seeing the green bar progress on the screen.

"Rex." King hissed.

CT-7567 tensed. Rex. The Kamino word for dog. As if to send his point home, King let out a low howl. Snickers erupted from the boys around him. Even his squadmates joined in. Not that it surprised him. There was no comradery between him and his squadmates. They may have shared the same set of tubes but CT-7567 was not one of them. They made sure he didn't forget it either.

King caused most of the abuse. He was slightly bigger than the rest of them, having come out of the growth chamber before them. They all had the same standard haircut. Same brown hair, brown eyes, and red & grey uniforms. CT-7567 was unsure why he started it. Perhaps he didn't like that the trainers singled him out to ask questions. Maybe he simply didn't like the way he walked. Or how on the first day of training, CT-7567 had taken charge of the group and led them to victory. Whatever it was, it had earned him a dog's name. While the rest of the batch had a chance to choose their own identity, CT-7567 had his forced upon him.

One of them, who they called Ollie, leaned in closer to him. "Go on Rex, your master is calling."

He meant King.

CT-7567 ignored them and moved onto the next station. Nothing good came out of responding to their taunts. Not even the few guards overseeing their progress would stop them. Nor the trainers. They'd marked it down as hazing or boys being boys. He simply had to get through with this station. Then he could take relief in the shared mess hall and seat himself far away from his squadmates.

He was almost finished scanning when he heard footsteps behind him. CT-7567 turned his head in time for a fist to connect with his eye. He barely had time to register the stinging pain before his attacker launched his second attack. Upcuts to his face and chin, then stomach, setting him off balance. His datapad clattered uselessly to the floor as CT-7567 came face to face with his attacker.

"OBEY DOG!" King screamed.

CT-7567 grunted as King slammed him against the plexiglass wall. Below them was the mess hall, where the CT's sat in assigned rows. The clanging and clacking of food trays and boots reached his ears. If it were glass, CT-7567 knew King's momentum would have carried them both over. King's hands came around CT-7567's neck, squeezing. He choked, his feet scrabbling against the floor for traction.

When the trainers ask him what happened, CT-7567 told them to check the cameras. Told them that it was self-defense. That he was sorry. His nightmares make up for all the words he can't say. They don't like his defiance, but what else could he say? He can't explain how he was able to gain the upper hand in the fight. Or how he managed to lift King up and press him at the top of the plexiglass.

CT-7567 can never forget the crunch as the plexiglass broke against King's weight. The fear in King's eyes. How he had to let go so that King didn't take him down with him. The deafening sound of screams around him as clones scattered. His heartbeat, pounding. King hit the floor with a thud. The trainers said later that he died instantly. Something about the height and way he landed.

CT-7567 slumped to the floor, hands in the air, as the guards surrounded him with guns.

…

"We checked the DNA samples of the clones. CT-7567's DNA matches that of a batch created by Nu Sa. A command trooper whose critical thinking and independence levels were higher and loyalty level were lower than normal. I approved the batch of regular troopers she created. We sent her A batch to be reconditioned. This one must have slipped through." Nun Lo robotically relayed the information to the group of Kaminoians and trainers surrounding him. A lone clone in red armor stood apart from the group, his hand on his beard.

The head of the Training department, Na Su, swiped through the files in front of her. "It clearly looks like this was an act of self-defense from CT-7567."

"Of course, nothing to alert the Jedi about." Nun Lo said quickly. The Jedi had stationed Togruta Jedi Master Shaak Ti on Kamino to oversee their work. Her presence was barely tolerated. While she did not outright interfere with their work, her comments on the ethicality of their practices were not appreciated. "The clones do recognize that CT-7567 is not fully one of them. This will continue to escalate if not dealt with."

"It is something to make note of, that these regular clones can recognize if one doesn't have the same DNA as them." Na Su frowned. "CT-8218 must have seen him as a threat to his control over the other squadmates."

The footage of CT-7567 and CT-8218's fight replayed on the screen in front of them. CT-8218's taunts, his attack, CT-7567's beating, the way he turned the tables on his attacker, and his subsequent doom. Soundless of course. Nun Lo had no intention of broadcasting the sound of Clone Trooper's screams. A sign of weakness. The clone, named Alpha, watched it silently.

He had been granted the nickname by one of the Jedi. Master Skywalker. Skywalker hadn't felt comfortable identifying the trooper by his number, 17. He said it made him feel like he was talking to a droid instead of a human. Perhaps the others would disagree. The other trainers thought it was a great idea. If Kal Shirata identified all twelve Null troopers by name, surely they could give the choice over to the clones to inspire loyalty.

Nun Lo wasn't sure of Alpha's thoughts on the matter. The ARC trooper was one of their best results in the second batch. He'd been promoted quickly through the ranks after his performance in the battle of Jabiim. The Trainers had put him in charge of training the command troopers on Kamino, with great success. Captain Alpha's recruits had a higher chance of mission success than any other trainers at Kamino. While he was not normally present for these meetings, he had been giving a report on his own trainers when Nun Lo had arrived with the news of the fight. He usually did not weigh in on

"With your permission Sirs, I would like to request his transfer to my training group," Alpha said.

One of the trainers laughed. A rat-like man, with a pinched nose. "Just recondition him already. We already have hundreds of Command troopers. Why keep this one, especially if he's not up to the standards?"

"Because none of these command troopers have seen battle yet." Alpha leveled a hard stare at the trainer. "This is the lab's third attempt at the creation of a perfect soldier. If this one clone's slight DNA variation is better than all the others, wouldn't the researchers want to know?"

The trainer shut his mouth. Nun Lo stroked his chin. Alpha did have a point. And who would be better to train him than Alpha? If the clone was not up to Alphas standards, then there was no place for him in the GAR. He looked towards his superiors.

"Do you see potential in this Clone, Alpha?" Na Su asked.

Alpha looked up at the screen. It'd paused on a close up of CT-7567 as CT-8218's fist barreled towards him. The clone's face showed no fear. Instead, a fiery determination shone in his eyes. "Yes Sir."

"Then consider him yours. Make the transfer immediately Nun Lo." She rose to leave. "Meeting adjourned."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No, Rex does not mean dog in Kamino. I am taking some artistic liberties here. I suppose this takes place in the same universe of sorts as 'Just a Fairytale' as this is the same as Rex's Backstory in it. However, this fic isn't going to stray too far from Canon/Legends content.


	3. Chapter 3

Alpha entered the command troop barracks after one of their training simulations. He nodded to a few of the cadets. He was searching for a particular pair of cadets. He found them two rows in, examining a hologram file of the simulation they just ran. One looked like the standard clone trooper, except for the heavy wrinkles across his forehead from scowling. That was Cody. Alpha didn't let his tough appearance fool him. Cody was often found in the barracks with a sleeping clone on his shoulder while he studied.

Cody was a very promising cadet despite his soft name. Highest ranking so far, he'd be the first to graduate for a commanding position. Alpha planned on recommending him for service under General Kenobi as his right-hand man. He'd taken the newbie, CT-7567 under his wing, showing him the ropes. Alpha liked to train the Command troopers in pairs. As the force would have it, Cody's former squadmate had just graduated from Alpha's program, leaving a space open. CT-7567 fit right in. He sat next to Cody. His newly dyed and cut blond hair made him stick out as Shaak Ti did on Kamino.

Alpha approached the pair slowly. He hadn't spoken to the trooper personally yet. He'd seen the blond boy, CT-7567, nearly fail the training simulations. He tended to take a more aggressive, point lead than the rest of the Command troopers. This made him the target in most missions. Not that it was always a bad thing. The boy was a good shot. Preferred dual-pistols over Cody's heavy cannons. Alpha was impressed with his progress. Not bad for a clone who's squadmates were thrown out for their DNA not being exact.

Cody looked up at his approach and came to attention. CT-7567 followed his lead slowly, eyeing Alpha up and down. He stood out from the cadets in his battle-worn armor and scars on his temple. "Sir!"

"At ease," Alpha said, removing his helmet. He nodded to the trooper at Cody's side. "What's your name?"

"CT-7567."

"No. The name your squad gave you."

The clone's jaw tightened. "Rex."

"What does your name mean?" Alpha asked.

"Dog." He spat.

"Ah, but you are not a Kaminoian." Alpha made a fist over his heart. "You are of Mandalore. Jango Fett's DNA is what holds you together. Do you care to know what your name means in Mando?"

He shook his head.

"Rex means king." Alpha chuckled. "Or dare I say, the reigning king. Your fallen brother, was his name not also King?"

Cody's eyes were upon him. "That's where I've heard of you. You're the one who tossed the vod over the edge. In mess hall."

"It was an accident," Rex said softly.

Cody nodded. "That's alright. I knew King. You would have the one dead if he had his way." You could trust Cody to be blunt about a situation. He did it as he saw right. Rex claimed to have tossed King over by accident. Alpha had no doubts that Cody would have tossed King over on purpose.

"King saw you as a threat to his position. He knew you were better than him." Cody continued. "That's why you're here with us, instead of in the reconditioner."

Rex allowed a tight smile to cross his lips. "I suppose it's not a bad name then."

"Your numbers are very good. I wouldn't be surprised to see you outrank Cody someday." Alpha slapped him on the back, preparing to move onto the pair of clones. But it was Rex's next words that halted him.

"No sir. I'll never have more experience than him. Unless I get that, I'll never outrank him."

Alpha looked at him again. There was that fiery determination in his eyes. It seemed almost out of place on his stoic face. He'd seen nothing like it in the eyes of Cody or his vod.

"You will," Alpha said. "I have no doubt about that."

Rex graduated Alpha's training program with honors. By then, he had cheated death five times.

**Author's Note:**

> Do I fully understand how DNA works? No. I apologize to all science and biology majors reading this fic. I’d love your input if you have any.   
> This is a rewrite of this fic that I started on FF.net in 2018 or 2019? If you like this fic and want to see an ending, don’t be shy! Subscribe, bookmark, kudos, reviews, favorites, follow; whatever site you’re on, show your support. :)))


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